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The U.S. Department of Labor published its Final Rule on September 30, 2016 granting paid sick leave to certain employees of federal contractors and subcontractors covered by the new law. The Final Rule applies to certain new federal contracts and replacements for expiring contracts that result from solicitations issued on or after January 1, 2017, or that are awarded outside the solicitation process on or after January 1, 2017. The Final Rule implements Executive Order 13706 signed by President Obama in September 2015.

Under California’s new Fair Day’s Pay Act (SB 588), not to be confused with California’s Fair Pay Act addressing gender wage differentials, an aggrieved employee’s wage theft claim may be brought against the employer, as well as any “other person acting on behalf of an employer,” greatly expanding owner and executive personal liability for wage and hour violations in California.

The new law takes effect January 1, 2016, and extends to owners, directors, officers, and managing agents of the employer. These individuals may be personally liable for violations of any provision regulating minimum wages or hours and days of work under the Industrial Welfare Commission’s Wage Orders.

When opportunities present themselves there is a flurry of activity, until the last piece of the puzzle falls into place and “Voila,”—a deal has been struck and a letter of intent (LOI) is signed. Congratulations can be heard all around, along with “Oh, by the way, would someone get the LOI over to the attorney to document the deal?”

Taking a Practical Approach to the New Overtime Rule Unless they’ve been hiding under the covers trying to recover from the mandatory obligation to provide paid sick leave and the news that minimum wage will increase to $15 by 2022, most California business owners are aware that the U.S. Department of Labor issued its long-anticipated final rule on overtime on May 18, 2016.